Union County

Union County no longer has to pay its school system $91 million. In 2013, that’s what a jury said the county owed the district for years of under funding. The North Carolina Court of Appeals Tuesday granted a new trial.

If you live in Union County or Anson County in North Carolina, or Lancaster County in South Carolina, you’ve probably noticed a stronger smell or taste of chlorine in your water. You’re not imagining things; the municipal water system is midway through a month-long flush that customers are definitely noticing.

The Union County Public School board voted yesterday to file a criminal complaint regarding one of its board members. The board says it appears Marce Savage stole $2,600 from taxpayers by double-dipping and filing false mileage reports.

First, the board censured Savage a couple weeks ago. Then, it turned over her expense requests to the Sheriff. Yesterday, the board approved this motion from board member Rick Pigg:

Union County and its school board have tentatively agreed on a budget this year. That may not seem like a big deal, but last year a budget dispute between the two led to a court battle. A new local law may have helped them reach consensus faster.

Union County is one of two North Carolina school districts accused of making it difficult for youth who are in the country illegally to enroll. The Southern Poverty Law Center along with other groups filed the complaint with the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Union County Public Schools got word of an unexpected offer last night that could allow the district to avoid a controversial redistricting, at least for now. The county has agreed to give the school district $3 million for mobile classrooms to ease overcrowding.

Union County might be spared a controversial countywide school redistricting plan after all.

School board chair Richard Yercheck said Tuesday morning he expects his group will accept the county commissioners’ surprise $3 million offer to buy 49 mobile units. Commissioners on Monday said they made the offer to eliminate the need for countywide redistricting, and solve an issue that has been tearing the community apart